Friends of All Saints Church in Brokerswood are frustrated at burglars breaking into the church stealing three oil lamps that have lit the church since the late 1950s.

The lamps, which were given to the church by a parishioner more than half a century ago, were reported stolen to the police last Thursday. Members of the Friends had gone to the church to set up for a fundraising quiz the next day.

It is not known exactly when the church, which is known as the Tin Church, was broken into and police are unsure about how the burglars got in as there were no signs of a break-in.

The church, which has been on the site for more than 100 years and was recently Grade II listed, has no mains water, gas or electricity, so light is only supplied by the oil lamps and candles.

Chairman of Friends Peter Campbell said: “It is very disappointing that someone could do this.

“Three of the four lamps that light up the church were taken. The one they left doesn’t work and we are very saddened by the theft.

“We want to bring as much attention to it as possible and alert people to the theft in the hope that it might lead to the recovery of the lamps. If anyone can provide any information to help it would be much appreciated.”

The building erected in Brokerswood in 1904, has been sympathetically maintained and repaired over the years by the Friends and continues to be used regularly for services.

The quiz night on Friday raised £200 and was due to pay for further refurbishment of the church, but it will now go towards the cost of replacing the stolen lamps.

Secretary for the Friends John Croft said: “We light the church by the lamps and candles, which makes it charming, so it’s a huge nuisance for us. We raise about £2,000 a year to keep the church going and it is incredibly frustrating that someone, for whatever reason, has done this.

“We have upgraded the locks.”